Being berated for allowing the death of a noble merchant in the town the previous night forces us to take an active approach to eliminating the Marrowbreaker threat in town instead of waiting for them to come to us. That means we need to think of a plan. Dexter comes up with the idea of getting a coach load of amphibious cheerleaders, but is a little sketchy on why they are needed and what they would do. Nevertheless, he is quite happy that no one spurns his idea, considering that to be quite the positive response. 'I decided to wait until we had a better plan before I spurn it', notes Ann-See.

'I have a better plan', I chime in, 'let's not do Dexter's plan.'

'Yep, that is a better plan.' This prompts Ann-See to action. Despite not being able to determine whether the Marrowbreakers' lair has breathable air before, now that Ann-See is able to make risky decisions herself, rather than as a committee of macabre spectators when her player was absent, she decides to head back in to the creature's underwater tunnel. With her greater speed Ann-See can get further in before needing to return, allowing a greater chance of finding the lair or an air pocket.

'What's your skill in 'swim'?', the GM asks, picking up Ann-See's character sheet to check. 'Oh, you don't have ranks in 'swim'. But you do have ranks in 'swin'. What is 'swinning'?'

'I dunno. Maybe I'll just make a 'swin' check and force you to work out what I've succeeded in.'

Even with Ann-See swinning an air pocket is found, quickly followed by the creatures' lair. As quickly as it is found it is also abandoned, with Ann-See returning to let us know what is down there instead facing it alone. One thing that Ann-See noticed was that the creature in the lair was quite badly hurt, so if we were to strike now would be the best time. We weigh our options about going in through the tunnel or trying to find another way in, trying to determine where the tunnel leads under the town.

Knowing that the tunnel is mostly straight and heads inland we check the lay of the land in the direction of the tunnel. 'When you look in that direction you see that the hill shopes... I mean, 'slopes'... quite steeply'.

'How do you get up a 'shope'? Does it require a 'swin' check'? Even if it did require a 'swin' check with only Ann-See having the 'swin' skill we are better off heading down the tunnel itself.

Knowing that there is an air pocket sufficiently close for anyone to be able to catch their breath, and that we'll be facing the creature in its lair, we enter the tunnel prepared. With the fighters at the front, and Ann-See and I carrying a wax cloth-protected torch and lantern for light sources once we get out of the water, we head down. The creature waits for us, clearly quite injured, and attacks when we enter. It was so badly hurt that it doesn't last long, despite still being a fearsome grappling opponent. One of the Marrowbreakers is dead! That only leaves one more to kill.

Well, two, if you count the extra one that we then woke up when exploring the exits to the lair that led to an ancient temple. Oh, and a potential demi-god-like creature we also awoke from a century-old slumber. Still, we have some progress to report to the town leader. I'm sure she'll see the positive side.

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on 27th March 2008 at 10.09 pm and is filed under Iron Heroes.
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